Separating device



April 30, 1957 T. WORK SEPARATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 18, 1955 17250172TZUO 77 5 United States Patent SEPARATING DEVICE Lincoln T. Work,Maplewood, N. J., assiguor to Borg- Warner Corporation, Chicago, 11]., acorporation of Illinois Application January 18, 1955, Serial No. 482,467

3 Claims. (Cl. 210-294) The present invention relates generally toseparator devices and is particularly concerned with devices forseparating relatively heavy solid particles from a liquid.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improveddevice for separating relatively heavy solid particles maintained insuspension in a liquid.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide aseparating device in accordance with the preceding object wherein meansare provided for centrifuging the liquid having the solid particlessuspended therein and other means are provided for changing thedirection of rotation of the centrifuged liquid to thereby facilitateremoval of liquid and fine solids free of the heavy solid particleswhich are thrown outward and then settle to the bottom of a containerwithin which the liquid is disposed.

A further more detailed object of the present invention is to provide aseparator in accordance with the preceding objects and including meansfor improving the centrifuging action.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a separatingdevice capable of removing a higher percentage of foreign solidparticles suspended in a liquid than other similar known devices arecapable of removing.

,A further object of the present invention is to provide means forregulating the flow of sludge, containing the undesirable solidparticles, from the separating device so as to control the overalleffectiveness of the device.

In the earth bore drilling industry it is conventional practice toutilize a mud fluid which is pumped down through an earth boring drillpipe string into an earth bore hole, which drilling mud fluid iseffective to wash away the formation fragments removed at the bottom ofthe bore by the drill and to float these fragments to the surface whilethey are maintained in suspension in the mud fluid. In order to renderthe mud fluid capable of being used again it is necessary to removethese formation fragments there from and it is in this connection thatthe present invention finds one of its more particularly desirable uses.

One of the advantages of the present invention over similar knowndevices is the provision of means as an integral part of the separatorfor providing improved centrifuging action of the fluid.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptionthereof, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the principal features of thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, shown substantially entirely insection, and better illustrating certain of the features of theseparator disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theline 33 in Fig. l; and r Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 44 in Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings wherein the same reference numerals havebeen utilized to identify identical parts in the different views, thepresent invention comprises a separating device which includes an outersubstantially cylindrical chamber indicated generally by referencenumeral 10. The cylindrical chamber 10 is provided with a generallyconically shaped tapered bottom portion 11 having its apex 12 directedgenerally downwardly. The apex 12 comprises a discharge outlet having avalve device 13 secured thereto with a discharge hose 14 connected withthe valve 13.

The cylindrical chamber 10 is provided with a liquid inlet 15 suitablysecured to the cylinder 10, as by welding, for example, and this inlet15 communicates with the inside of the cylinder 10 through a suitableopening 16 formed in the side of the cylinder 10. It will be noted thatthe liquid'inlet 15 meets the cylinder 10 substantially tangentially sothat as the liquid flows into the cylinder through the inlets 15 andopening 16, as indicated by arrows 17 and 18, the liquid is caused torotate in the cylinder 10.

The cylinder 10 is provided with a cover 19 suitably secured thereto inany well known manner, as by rivets or bolts 20, for example, and aninner cylindrical member 21 supported by the cover 19 is disposed withinthe outer cylinder 10 and maintained substantially concentrically withrespect thereto.

The inner cylinder 21 is provided with a plurality of axially extendingperipheral openings 22 for enabling fluid communication from chamber 10to within the innerchamber 21. Each of the openings 22 is formed bymaking a three sided cut in the cylinder 21 with the resultant window ofmaterial being pressed inwardly to 7 form a vane 23 corresponding toeach of the openings 22. It is also possible to attain the samefunctional configuration of the vanes by welding the parts together. Theupper and lower openings between the vanes and the cylinder may beclosed so as to rigidify the vanes by welding V-plates between the vanesand the cylinder.

The inner cylinder 21 is provided with a bottom comprising an annularflat portion 24, an upwardly projecting general-1y conical portion 25and a downwardly projecting generally conical portion 26. It will benoted that the conical portion 26 is substantially concentric withrespect to the conical portion 11 of the outer cylinder 10 and it hasbeen found that by so providing the inner cylinder 21 with thedownwardly projecting conical portion 26, better centrifuging action ofthe liquid within the I cylinder 10 in the lower regions thereof isobtained than in the case where the bottom of the inner cylinder 21 ismerely flat.

The upper end of the inner cylinder 21 is open and communicates with anoverflow passage 27. The overflow passage 27 is provided with a baflleplate 28 extending across the upper end of the inner cylinder 21 for thepuring liquid therefore flows into the cylinder 10 and inasmuch as theinlet 15 is disposed tangentially with respect to the cylinder 10 theliquid is caused to revolve within the cylinder 10. Since the mainoutlet for the cylinder 10 is through the overflow passageway 27 liquidmust proceed into the inner cylinder 21 in order to escape from thecylinder 10. It will be noted that the rotation of the liquid within thecylinder 10 is in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l and thevanes 23 are so directed as to cause a substantial reversal of thedirection of flow of the liquid, as indicated by arrow 29 in Fig. 4, inorder for the liquid to get into the inner cylinder 21.

Patented Apr. 30, 1957 V ti il et s cc q hat as the liquid remain theente cylinder 10 any heavy coarse sand particles will be travel ing withthe liquid and at substantially the speed thereof. Asthe liquid reachesthercylinderizlcit mustfiosvidown and: substantially change its;direction? oliflowiin order to. Passv t rough h passages into;the-,eylinder 21; The heavy solidfiparticles resistthis, tendencyj tochange i direction and tend; to: continuein the-satire direction. sothat they are. no longer carried :by; the liquid as; "it enters thefl-Wfifldfl- 2'1... stlbstantiallyi all of the heavy particles thus dropprior to the entry of the liquid to the inner cylinder;- Theseparticles:thus settle to T thebottom of the, tank' 10 from whence they -rna-y. bevvithdr awn through'thedischarge valve :13, and-hose 214;

The vcentrifuging action; Dir -4 211565 is at a, minimum t n the nn rcylinder 21 due tot-he tact-that the. liquid must changeits directionofrotation as it; enters-the innercyIinderJLand-also duetogthe faetthat;the liquid-within this cylinder-is rising asi enters the overflowpassage 27. In: the eventthat there is any tendency for-more of-thesolid particles to settle from the liquid Within the inner cylinder 21;they will strike thewnieal bottom=25 of the cylinder'andthence bedirected toward the outerperiphery of the inner cylinder 21 andout:through-the-openings'22 atthebottomthereof from where theymaysettleto the bottom of; the outer cylinder As already mentioned heretofiore,the downwardly projecting conical surface 26' cooperates in coniunctioilwith the conical surface 11 to eifect better centrifuging ofthe liquidwithin the lower regions-ofi the chain-her 10 and prevents-turbulencebeneath; the inner cylinder 21 which wouldgotherwiseoccur in the absenceof'the conical-surce 6,!

The bafile-plate 28 in the;ove'rfiowpassage- 27 tends to preventor-rninimize turbuleneein the liquid-overflowvided-with a dischargeopening atvthe apex thereof, means defining-a liquid inlet for saidtank, said inletbeing so disposed with respect to said tank fordirccting the flowing liquid into the tank in such a manner as to causetot-ary flow of the liquid in the tank and consequent centrifuging ofthe liquid, an inner generally c'ylihdrically shaped tankdisposedwitlhin the firsnnamed tank and having axially extendingopenings peripherally spaced therearound, a plurality of vanesrespectively provided for saidopenin-gsfior substantially reversing thedirection of rotation of the liquid as'it passes from the first-namedtank into the inner tank, whereby a substantial proportion of the solidparticles settle to the bottom of the first-named tank and may bewithdrawn therefrom through said discharge opening. said inner-tankincluding means defining a generally comically shaped tapered bottomportion having .an'upwardlyprojecting apex extehd ing-into said innertank and effective to direct any particles which' settle out of theliquid in said inner tank through said-openings in said inner tank intothe outer first-named tank, andmeans forming an overflow for said innertank for conveying therefrom the cleaned liquid from whichthe-settled-sol-id particles have beenrerrioved.

2-,. Awdsv ca qrssrarafin en ratticlestrsna qwr ing liquid andcomprising aspbstantially cylindrical tank having a generally conicallyshaped tapered bottom provided with a discharge opening at the apexthereof, means defining a liquid inlet for said tank, said inlet beingdisposed substantially tangentially with respect to said tank fordirecting the floifiin'gliquid into the tank in such a manner a s tocapseprqtaryllow of the liquid in the tank and consequent centrifu ingofthe liquid an inna genennyeynnaneaii snaped tank the first-named tank;said inner tank inclu'di fining a generally conically shaped taperedbotto "tion havingja devvnwardlyprojeet-ing.apexiandefieetiye inconjunction with the taperedbottorn of the first-named tank tofacilitate 'eeiitrifug'irig 'oftli'e"liquid, said inner tank includingmeans defining a plurality of axially extending openings peripherallyspaced there-around, said ner ank also in lud ngmeansdefiningvp w iardly-di estedcv nes'respectively p o o said p in'gs forsubstantially,-rcversing the direction of i rotation of the liqnid'asit'p'asses-fromthe firstrnar'ned tanki-nto theinner'tank, whereby. asubstantialiproportion of the solid particles settle to the bettor'niofthefirst-lnamed tank and rnay be withdrawntherefromatlirough saiddischarge opening, sai inner tank including means defining agenerallyconicallysha ed tapered'bottomportion having anupwardlytprojecting apex; extending into said-inner fa'nk andrcfi'ective-t'ct direct any particles which settle out of the liquid in said innertank through said openings? in said inner tank. intolthe outerfirst-Inamed tank, arid means forming ah -overflow for said innertankfor conveying therefromtlie cleaned :liquid from which the settledsolid Particleshavewbeen removed.

3: A'device for separating :solid particles from a flowing liquid- ,andi-c'oniprising a substantially cylindrical tank having a generallyconically shaped tapered bottom-provided withadislcharge opening at theapex thereof-,means delining'aliquid -inlet for said tank, said inletbeing disfposed substantially tangentially with respect to"said"tank fordirectingtheflowihgliquid' into'the'tank in such a manneras-to icauserotary flow of the liquid in'the tank and consequent centri-fuging ofthe liquid, an inner generally cylindrically shaped'tank disposed withinthe firstnamed tank and having axiallyeiit'ending openings pe ripherallyspaced therearound, a plurality of vanes respecti-vely provided for saidopenings for substantially reversing the direction of rotation of theliquid as it passes from 'thetfirst named tank into the inner'tank,whereby a substantial proportion of the solid particle's settle "to thebbttornof the filSi-hallld tank aaamay' be withdrawn therefromthroughsaid discharge opening, said inner tank includi-ng means'defininga conically=shaped tapered bottomrportion havinganupwardly-projectingapex extending into said innertank and en eaveaa direct any articleswhich settle out-of theliquidin said'inher' tank' through ReferencesCited in the file 'of this patent UNITED T E PATENT$ -r-.-f-:-f' 967,849ner au s 1 10 3 971 HPIiIkHm Qn "'2' ,F b- ,9 7 2,259,029 Fisher Oct.14, 15341- 364, 4 T imbi v et a ee. 94.

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